Rome, Nov 16, 2013 (SPS) - The participants of the 38th European Conference for Coordination and Support of Saharawi people (EUCOCO), has just closed in Rome, called on the United Nations (UN) and Security Council to speed up the implementation of the referendum on self-determination for the Saharawi people.
In the final communique under the title "self-determination for the Saharawi people, condition for peace in the Maghreb", participants urged the UN and Security Council to tackle "without delay" the implementation of the referendum in Western Sahara, which provides for the self-determination of Saharawi people.
The conference hailed Abuja Conference, held on October 2013, welcoming the adoption by the European Parliament of Tannock report on human rights in the Sahel region, the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in addition to the research conducted by experts from the Basque University after the discovery of mass graves in the Saharawi territories.
The EUCOCO 38th acknowledged the unique role played by women in the Saharawi resistance against the Moroccan occupation.
Participnats at the on "policy, information and natural resources" agreed to immediately mobilize across Europe so that European Parliament rejects the EU- Morocco fisheries agreement, as long as it does not exclude the Saharawi territorial waters, and further act to safeguard the natural resources of the Saharawi people .
They will engage with governments, parliamentarians , associations of human rights , NGOs and solidarity committees so that the United Nations and Security Council extend the mandate of the MINURSO for the protection of human rights of the Saharawi people in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and to ensure their freedom of movement.
They will also organize a campaign for demilitarization, demining and removal of the 2720-km wall built by Moroccan in the Western Sahara.
The workshop on "human rights" called on the movement of solidarity with the Saharawi people to reinforce actions for the release of all Saharawi political prisoners and to strengthen observation missions.
Participants at this workshop said that they will lobby towards the United Nations and Europe to advocate for human rights of the Saharawi people, through mobilization tours in the European countries.
Participants at the "humanitarian aid workshop", which was chaired by the Saharawi Minister of Cooperation Mr. Brahim Mokhtar, expressed commitment to work, individually and collectively, to the maintenance and strengthening of humanitarian aid to the Saharawi refugees.
"Youth, sport and culture’s workshop" demanded the protection of Saharawis cultural heritage, strengthening the Union of Saharawi students (UESARIO) to fully develop its role in supporting students and graduates through the creation and facilitation of partnerships with the various student organizations and youth.
It also stressed the need for general programmed on school and education to raise the cultural level of children and youth through the restoration of school buildings.
Work and trade unions’ workshop denounced the plundering of natural resources, and required that agricultural and fisheries agreements are not renewed or signed between the EU and Morocco.
They expressed solidarity with the Saharawi workers in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, denouncing the violations of human rights and demanded release of all Saharawi political prisoners.
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